Chhota Rajan

Chhota Rajan
Rajan in the early 1990s
Born
Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje

(1957-01-13) 13 January 1957 (age 67)
Chembur, Bombay, Bombay State, India
(present-day Mumbai, Maharashtra)
NationalityIndian
Other namesRajan
Chota Rajan
Occupations
Years active1978–2015
Known for
PredecessorBada Rajan
OpponentDawood Ibrahim
SpouseSujata Nikalje[1]
Children3
Conviction(s)Murder of Jyotirmoy Dey (2011)

Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje (born 13 January 1957),[2] popularly known by his moniker Chhota Rajan, is an Indian gangster and convicted criminal who served as the crime lord of a major crime syndicate based in Mumbai.

While living in Tilak Nagar, a big colony for the low-income group near Chembur, Mumbai, Rajan started as a petty black marketeer of cinema tickets at Sahakar Cinema in Tilak Nagar. In 1979, he and his gang were imprisoned for assaulting police constables. After being released from jail, he joined the Bada Rajan gang in 1980. After Bada Rajan was shot dead, Chhota Rajan sought refuge under Dawood Ibrahim and started controlling the gang's activities in Tilak Nagar, Ghatkopar and Chembur areas in east Mumbai.

During the eightees, especially after Dawood Ibrahim fled from Mumbai to Dubai, Rajan gradually rose to be his right hand man in Mumbai. As a part of a gang war between Dawood and Arun Gawli, in 1988, Rajan and his men were involved in the murder of another gang leader Ashok Joshi from Vikhroli who was a mentor to Arun Gawli. Fearing that Gawli may take revenge, Rajan escaped to Dubai in 1988 and never returned. In 1993, Rajan and his close aides split from Dawood. Rajan escaped from Dubai and formed an independent gang that frequently clashed with Dawood's D-Company. He is wanted for many criminal cases that include extortion, murder, smuggling and drug trafficking. He is also wanted in 70 murder cases and several more attempted murders. It is said that Rajan finances, a social organization called "Sahyadri Krida Mandal" that organizes the Ganesh Utsav in Tilaknagar, which has been Rajan's home base. Rajan's wife and two daughters continue to live in Tilaknagar.

Rajan was arrested in Bali by Indonesian police on 25 October 2015.[3]

Rajan was extradited from Bali to India on 6 November 2015 after 27 years on the run and is currently awaiting trials for ongoing cases in custody.[4] On 2 May 2018, he was convicted of murder of a journalist and handed life imprisonment.[5] He was convicted of murder of a hotelier and handled rigorous life imprisonment on 30 May 2024.[6] In India this is the 6th case in which Chotta Rajan was convicted since his deportation.[7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ED may attach properties of Chhota Rajan's wife was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Parliamentary Standing Committee (10 August 2017). "Committee on Government Assurances (2016-2017)" (PDF). Lok Sabha Secretariat. p. 21. Retrieved 24 July 2018. Recently one Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje @ Chhota Naman S/o Sadashiv Sakahram Nikalje, Date of Birth: 05.12.1959 was arrested in Indonesia by Indonesian police on 25.10.2015 and pursuant to deportation request from India he was deported to India on 05.11.2015.
  3. ^ "Chhota Rajan arrested in Indonesia after decades on the run". DNA. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  4. ^ "Chhota Rajan finally brought back to India after 27 years on the run". Firstpost. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference DeyConvictHindu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).